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Pujols and AGon both have a similar arc, but AGon really had one very high outlier season in there, before his current very low outlier.

Pujols' walk rate climbed over four years and then remained between 10.5-11.7% for six seasons, although it did decline every year after 2007. That decline has accelerated the past two years to the point where he's now become a guy who simply doesn't walk a lot (he's 42nd in 2012 in walks in the AL).

Much of Albert's value was in OBP, but these days, with that walk rate, he's in the .340s--not horrible but certainly not among the elite.

After finishing in the top 10 in the NL in OBP in eight straight seasons through 2010 (including seven top-three finishes), Pujols is currently 28th in the AL in OBP in 2012, despite still having the third-most intentional walks.

And if a guy who sets the all-time home run record doesn't win MVP, why can't a guy who gets the measly triple crown not win?

Because Sosa's victory was in defense of "tradition" (the Cubs made the playoffs, the Cards didn't) and also a consolation prize for helping make the writers feel like 12-year-olds again but losing out on the record.

I'm sure you knew that -- and I can see the argument for not including that on the list -- but he was the all-time single season home run king when he hit #66. It made me wonder if there is another instance of this happening somewhere on the list, like if someone else led Stovey at some point in the season in home runs in 1883 with more than nine and was thus, for a time, the all-time home run king (single season). Anyone know?

A quick search tells me that Ezra Sutton hit the first home run "major league history" on May 8, 1871. He hit the second home run the same day. But this list leaves out the old National Association (why?). The first National League home run was hit by Ross Barnes on May 2, 1876.